Whether it is someone downsizing from a larger ride, or a new car buyer picking up their first vehicle, compact sedans are going to be a popular choice.

There’s lots of strong competitors in this category (Focus/Corolla/Civic/Mazda3, etc.), each with their own strengths, and I recently drove one of them -- the 2014 Nissan Sentra SL, to see how it compares.

With a focus on fuel economy and design, but less impressive once you go under the hood, the Sentra is a mixed bag. Here are all the details on what the car offers and who might want to pick one up.

LOOKS
The Sentra’s look for 2014 is similar to 2013 and still sharp and attractive (coincidentally, I parked it next to a 2014 Ford Focus one day -- a vehicle that is a direct competitor and gets many compliments on its design -- and the Sentra stood up well in comparison).

Advertisement

Inside there was a healthy amount of leg room in the back seat and the front, a must in this segment, providing comfortable seating for five.

You get 17-inch wheels, and the interior design -- both of the cabin and the controls setup -- was very user-friendly. Cloth seats are standard but you can upgrade to leather-appointed seats.

ENGINE, HORSEPOWER
This is an area that might turn some folks away from the Sentra, as it’s definitely not the most powerful vehicle out there, even within its segment, and acceleration leaves something to be desired.

The 2014 Sentra SL I tested featured a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 130 horsepower. This engine helps produce great mpg (which I’ll get to later), but it’s not going to knock your socks off in terms of performance. Other small sedans (Focus, Mazda3) beat it by 30 or more horsepower, so that’s something to consider when trying out the various options on the market in the segment..

Handling was responsive, and road noise was acceptable (not too bad, but could have been better … this has improved from previous Sentra model years).

To sum up the overall driving experience in the Sentra; it was a good experience but not one that made a great impression on me.

The entertainment system features a standard 4.3-inch color display (which can be upgraded to a 5.8-inch touchscreen).

Navigation and rearview camera are options which can be added.

SAFETY

While you don’t get some of the helpful safety features you’ll get on more upscale vehicles (blind spot warning, lane departure warning, rear crosspath alert, etc.), you get some solid basic safety built into the vehicle. Driver and front passenger airbags, side-impact airbags and curtain airbags are included.

Latches for child seats are included, and you get anti-lock brakes, vehicle dynamic control and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Safety test results on the Sentra were above average, mostly four out of five stars, with a couple five-star ratings and one three-star mark.

MPG
Perhaps the biggest highlight on this vehicle is the great gas mileage you’ll get, even in comparison to other compact sedans that are popular. I got about 35 mpg, which was even better than the listed numbers (30 city; 39 highway; 34 average).
Compare it to vehicles like the Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and you’ll see a win for Nissan in terms of mpg. Only competitor which edges it slightly is the Mazda3, but they’re essentially tied atop the class. If your goal is to visit the gas station as little as possible, this is a vehicle you’ll definitely want to consider in the small sedan class.

PRICE
The Sentra is one of the most affordable vehicles in this class, with a starting price of $15,990 for the base model. There are four basic options -- S, SV, SR and SL.

Base price on my Sentra SL test vehicle was $19,640.

It also added the Navigation package for $800 -- which included navigation; upgrade to a 5.8-inch color touchscreen monitor; NissanConnect apps; Voice recognition for audio and navigation; SiriusXM Traffic and TravelLink; and rearview monitor.
Leather package was just over $1K -- and it gets you leather appointed seats and heated seats.
Final price for the test vehicle I drove was $22,460.

BOTTOM LINE
WIth its high points being gas mileage and overall design, and its engine performance the main low point, the 2014 Sentra will cater to those who prefer savings at the pump to a more powerful engine. You can’t have your cake and eat it too, as they say, so everyone will have to make a choice. If they need the stronger performance -- other competitors in this segment will likely draw them in. But if the mpg number is the most important to some folks, the 2014 Sentra should be able to see some success.

Matt Myftiu can be reached at matt.myftiu@oakpress.com, or on Twitter @MattMyftiu.

About the Author

I'm a news, NASCAR and technology junkie. Looking forward to seeing where the news business goes in this digital age. Blogs at realtechtime.blogspot.com or http://beyondthetrack.blogspot.com/. Reach the author at matt.myftiu@oakpress.com
or follow Matt on Twitter: @MattMyftiu.